Navigate:

Board clears Rahm Emanuel to run for mayor

Rahm Emanuel has not 'abandoned' his Chicago residency, according to a recent ruling. |
AP Photo
Close

Emanuel's campaign reacted swiftly, despite the hour.

"I am encouraged by this recommendation," Emanuel said in an early-morning statement. "It affirms what I have said all along that the only reason I left town was to serve President Obama and that I always intended to return. Chicago voters should ultimately have the right to decide the election and to vote for me, or against me."

Text Size

-

+

reset

In the appearance before the commissioners, Emanuel's other counsel, Michael Forde, echoed this, saying that many of the three dozen objectors who presented their grievances against Emanuel last week in "a 12-hour ordeal the likes of which I've never seen," had problems with Emanuel as a candidate, not with his credentials to be one.

"Most of those questions did not deal with the issue that is before you," Forde said. "The issue is whether the people of Chicago should get a chance to vote on his candidacy."

If the lawyers representing the anti-Emanuel camp pursue their case all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court, the odds favor Emanuel: There are four Democrats and three Republicans on the court.

Meanwhile, the commissioners' ruling was only part of the story in Chicago Thursday, however, as the day also marked the final chance for candidates to formally drop out of the race and keep their names off the ballot. The Rev. James Meeks, a state senator, announced he would be withdrawing his candidacy.

Meeks caught serious negative press last week after declaring in a radio interview that city's designated minority contracts should be granted exclusively to African-Americans.

"Even as I continue to believe that I would be both the best prepared and the most electorally viable candidate in this race, I have chosen to lead by example," Meeks said in a release, adding that other black candidates also should consider submitting to a "caucus of clergy, elected officials, and residents whose sole purpose shall be to winnow the remaining field down to one candidate."

The Chicago Sun-Times reported earlier Thursday that the three African-American candidates vying for the seat had met Wednesday. Especially If another of these potential candidates — former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, Rep. Danny Davis or Meeks — drops out of the race, it could shift the dynamics of the election and give one of them a greater chance at seriously challenging Emanuel. Davis had received the support of a panel of African-American leaders last month as the community's "consensus" candidate, however, others still had remained on the ballot.

In the most recent poll, Meeks was tracking at 7 percent, putting him behind Davis and in front of Moseley-Braun.

A Chicago operative following the race but not affiliated with any of the campaigns said questioned how seriously any of these candidates could challenge Emanuel but added that if the field consolidated, the person left could have a shot.

"Can one of them challenge Rahm? Maybe," the operative said. But none of them will be able to do anything if all three are in."

It is amazing that none of the comments are on point or don't apparently come from someone living in Illinois (let alone the City of Chicago itself.

The major challenge to Emanuel's candidacy comes from a Lawyer working for the campaign of the Rev. James Meeks, who only has a slight chance of being elected if he can knock Emanuel off of the ballot. Even though Odelson, the lawyer, claims that Meeks isn't behind his objections, since this is Chicago Politics, if you believe that comment I have a Bridge in Brooklyn to sell you at as significantly reduced price.

Whether Emanuel is the best candidate to succeed Richie Daley, he has the right to run and let the voters of Chicago decide, not some lawyer working for the other Candidate limiting the right of the people to vote for him if they so choose.

The Demographics and Racial makeup of the city would favor the African American Candidate since Blacks makeup about 35% of the city electorate, with Hispanics comprising another contingent that is a signiifcant plurality of the overall city voting population. The reason that Meeks wants Emanuel out of the race is that then there would be no credible Caucasian Candidate running for Mayor. Just think about what happened for four years in Cook County when the African Americans voted for the inept Todd Stroger, complete chaos.

This election is about race, but it is the African American Politicians who want to deny someone the right to run.

The commenter's to this blog would be better served if they understood Chicago and Illinois Politics before they comment. If Emanuel is the best candidate, then he will win, if not he will lose, but it isn't for anyone outside of Chicago to decide.

A little Moola under the table and Osama Bin Laden could become an instant resident of Chi-Town, the most corrupt city in America. Rahmbo will rule with an Iron Fist unless you fatten his wallet and he will make the Daley's look like Franciscan Monks.

SO, AN ISRAELI/CITIZEN MOSSAD AGENT AND SPY WHO OWES HIS ALLEGIANCE TO ISRAEL IS IMMUNE TO THE ELECTION LAWS IN CHICAGO AND GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD, PROOF BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT CORRUPTION IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE WINDY CITY. IF THIS 2 BIT HUSTLER GET ELECTED, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE SO HOLD ON TO YOUR A S S & YOUR WALLETS.

If Rahm is allowed to run this will reaffirm Americas views of Chicago, the city as Crooked as the come. Rather than clean up Chicago Politics they keep electing sleeze balls. How Sad for a once great city !